Steering-gear for hook-and-ladder trucks.



' J. W. RAFFERTY. STEERING GEAR FOR HOOK AND LADDER TRUCKS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 17, 1914.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES: iN ENTOR Z J. W. RAPFERTY. STEERING GEAR FOR HOOK AND LADDER TRUGKS. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 17. 1914.

1,126,863. Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. W. RAFFERTY. STEERINGGEAR FOR HOOK AND LADDER TRUCKS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 17. 1914. I 1,126,863. Patented Feb.2,1915. 3 SHEETS-SHEET s.

STEERING-GEfiE ESE; HOOK-ANIJ-LADIDER TB?" i-ippliestioii file-l hugs-le 37, 3 214.

To czZZ whom iii may; concern Be it kilo vn than i, JOHN i7. RAFFERTY, the ilniied i hes, esiding in the city and county of gen Francisco and N 31in have inr ntedhew and usei iii Improvements in Steering-Gear for Hookand-Ladder Trucks, of which the following: is e. rification.

This in in to s new type o 1 s r hook and ladder iruck.

hook and isdder trucks of any size use provided Wi 'il :1 rear Wheel steering gear 'ihis is, in almost all in stances conirohed by a hand operated steerured on the upper end of iiig down through indoers on the truck. A cherefore he when oii or on he i cli unless the steering post is .wAJOVGd or i ied om; of its hearings, nor n ihe trnci sored from one position another With-c11 5 re) icing ihe post.

' resent invention is'to overcome ties and to provide a snhsr sn' i, Q id, fiOiliiiy steering gear structurevhieli' will. in no Way interfere with izhe 1121mm of or priming on of the ladders.

Ano'z object o vide for ice she invention to proiiing the steering gear relieving; the opon a straigiii run, thereby orator of any unnecessary strain.

Finisher objects irili hereinafter appear. The inveniiion consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts as hereins'Ter more fnily described and claimed, having reference to ihe accompanying drawings in wiiich Figure 1 is side eiembion of a hook and ladder irnclr showing she application of the invention; 2 is a cross section of same on line of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is 21, plan View of the ii th Wheel frame A indicates the main rains 2 the lad (lers and 3 the rear Wheels of a hook and ladder truck. The rear Wheels are in this instance, carried by a fifth Wheel i, of the usual construction, upon which is secured a pair of semicircular sha ed rack bars 5 and 6. Secured to the sides of "the main frame as at 7 is a bridge shaped stationary frame 8, and journaled on the sides of sand frame are a pair of vertically disposed shafts 9 ind 10 011 she lower ends of which are secured pinion gears 11 and 12, pinion 11 heing adapted to intermesh with rack 5 and Specification of Letters Foient.

inion 12 wit cured on i'zhe n er end: shafts 9 and ii are sprocke; wheels 1); and 14 and joirrnalc"v on tho frame is a steering 7 lower end oi which is seciired a sprocket Wheels 16 and 17, when '13 and 16 are connected by s chain sprocket Wheels 14- and l? nested by :1 chain 153%. 5, end oi post 15., is a w .1: i so ing Wheel 20, which is pos ion o within or \iei'lient reach of the ()E'XEE'ZULOX} who generaiiy occupies the seat indicziized 21.

in going so or from. s 7i? corners, it is oniy necessary to turn whee] 20 in the usual ii i: i

movement is trnnsnii ted wrongs sprochen, 16 and i? and chains and who s srockets 13 and 14, which turn ihe vertical shsf s u and 10, and this movement is in torn, transmitted through pinion 1i and if? to "he rack bars secured on the fifth ii'heeh 5331 .55 causing the rear Wheels 530 turn to my desired or necessary angle. v

The double iu'rangeinent of shafts 10, together with the bridge like frame, i due-es a rigid, substantial ssriici-iire, in ongo which power ms; he tmnsmittm 1 the fifth wheel with connecfscl; This necessitates two pinions, such 2L8 in (Juiced at 11 and 12. which engegi of the fifth whee thus fnriiher increasing the strength and rigidiij of the gear trsnsinission.

Secured to the steering post tion drum 22, ,nd surrounding" brake hand which control hand lever This attachment operator of any imnecesssry s sin, as

can lock the steering gear sirn s on lever 24- whon passing over i I run of any length.

The bridgo like struetnrc on permits she had gear supporting Home. to he removed oireplaced at any time with out interfering with the steering gem. This permits quicker action and also eiimins'tes to n more or less exieirt ihe chance of sir accident. The con'imon practice r" ing the steering posb every time le are to he removed or i'e'ilsced tirely obviated, and :i more rigid stan'tisl StQQTiTlQ' is prov, same time. The materials and finish of soversi parts oi the steering gesr are such as if-he experience and judgment of the manufacturer may dictate.

I wish it understood that various changes inform, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the ap endant claims, and that I do not wish to imit myself to the; specific design and construction here shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire and claim by LettersPatent, is-

1. In combination With the fifth wheel of a vehicle, and a rack having opposite semi-circular toothed parts secured to the fifth wheel, a bridge-member, a pair of vertical shafts each journaledat'one end in the member and at its other end in the fifth wheel, a gear on the lower end of each shaft each gear being meshed with the rack, a-

steering post on the member, and means to actuate each of the shafts from the steering post.

2. In combination with the fifth wheel of a vehicle, and a rack having opposite semicircular toothed parts secured to the fifth Wheel, a bridge-member, a pair of vertical shafts each journaled at one end in the member and at its other end in the fifth wheel,

a gear on the lower end of each shaft each I my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN W. RAFFERTY.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. HERRING, W. W. HEALEY. 

